Wearing the right clothing is one of five essential steps to effective UV protection. There are a number of design elements in school uniforms that parents should be aware of and Stubbies SunSmart incorporates all of them into 42 pieces in the new UPF 50 + uniform range - endorsed by the Cancer Council.
The Stubbies SunSmart uniform protects kids from the sun while keeping them cool and comfortable in the heat. The uniform features underarm cooling vents, stretch fabric for maximum movement, reinforced knee protection for playground stumbles and an adjustable waistband as they grow.
Stubbies SunSmart School Uniform Range
Stubbies SunSmart schoolwear is designed to provide parents with a pragmatic option for sun protective clothing - offering all the necessary elements to an effective sun protective uniform in the one range.
School aged children spend lots of time outside in the harsh sun at the peak ultraviolet (UV) times of the year and during the most intense UV times during the day (10AM to 3PM). Stubbies SunSmart range aims to protect children from the UV rays when they need it most!
Hats are already encouraged at most Australian School, to protect the face and eyes. But harmful UV rays can also pass through woven fabrics and reach a child's skin. Parents and school uniform committees should be aware of certain design elements when choosing a suitable school uniform. These include broad skin coverage, UPF 50+ fabric across the entire colour range (not just the darker colours) and a cool, loose fitting, ventilated design - all of which are incorporated in the Stubbies SunSmart range.
The uniform range also incorporates all essential elements of design to ensure the ultimate in sun protection such as a high UPF rating in the light and darker colours, loose fitting, wide skin coverage, tightly woven fabric and darker colours if possible. These features should always be considered when looking for a school uniform in order to ensure sun protection.
How to choose good UV protective clothing
UPF Rating
• Clothing designed and sold as prociding sun protection, will have a tag showing its UPF rating. The UPF rating provides information on how much UV radiation will pass through unstretched, dry material.
• UPF 50+ provides excellent protection blocking at least 97.5% of the sun's UV.
Fitting and skin coverage
• Clothing should cover as much skin as possible especially the nexk, shoulders, back, thighs and chest.
• Shirts should have collars and at least elbow-length sleeves. Shorts and skirts should be longer styles..
• The right uniform size for each child should be carefully considered; as it not only helps keep the body cooler but stretched fabric significantly reduces sun protection. The Stubbies Summer catalogue offers a detailed size chart to help choose clothing that offers the ultimate UV protection.
Fabric
• The tighter the fabric construction, the better the sun protection, allowing less UV radiation to pass through the skin.
• Stubbies SunSmart shirts, shorts and skirts are made of tightly woven fabrics such as polyester, cotton and microfiber. The fabrics are made using techniques such as peached and viscose, creating high quality fabrics that do insulate body heat.
Colour
• Most clothing dyes absorb some UV radiation, however some do this more than others. Darker colours such as black, navy and dark red will absorb more UV radiation of the same fabric with light pastel shades such as white, sky blue and light green.
• The fabric of the Stubbies SunSmart uniform range has been specially designed to ensure UPF 50+ protection whatever the colour - a unique and innovative feature of this range.
Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide
• School uniforms will only protect the skin it covers. For the best possible protection for skin and eyes, SunSmart recommends using a combination of the five SunSmart steps - Slip on protective clothing, Slop on SPF 30+ broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen, Slap on a broad brimmed hat, Seek shade, Slide on sunglasses.
For more information on UV, skin cancer prevention and vitamin D awareness, visit www.cancer.org.au/sunsmart